We need to determine how we will issue cold stored platelets in a massive transfusion.  We would like to put them in coolers packed like RBCs, but we found that they get too cold.  Has anyone identified a packing method that works well for CSP but doesn't mean we have to annually check 16 coolers by two different packing methods so we can use them for either CSP or RBCs?  We may have to dedicate some coolers to platelets but would rather not.

Bad news: we use the MaxQ EMT cooler for our cold stored platelets, and for room temp platelets. We validate them the same way we would any cooler process, once at 1-6 and once at RT. The small coolers are perfect for 1 unit of platelets, and waste has dropped. Since regs say to validate coolers at min and max capacity, we take that as needing to do both temps for each cooler. We have 2 of the EMT coolers. 

We have 10 of the MaxQ OR12 coolers for other products, but they are so huge (can hold 8 units) that we didn't want to use them for our CSPs. Giant box for one little platelet. If we had used them, I would still have made staff do cooler validations for 1 unit of RBC, 8 units of RBC, and 1u of platelets. We also use these coolers for transport of tissue on dry ice, and we validate for that as well - we have 4 designated coolers that are validated for dry ice storage, that way we we're not validating forever! I would suggest picking one or two of your coolers and validating them for CSPs. 

Its odd that the platelets get too cold....it shouldn't be much different than 1unit of RBCs in those coolers. Maybe for platelet cooler (and its validation) there is a gel pack added or something else that will maintain temp? 

Seems like a bit of insulation should take care of it. Not exactly sure what that would look like though. But something to slow down that temperature change. I usually sandwich mine in a couple of refrigerated cooler bags. 

The good news is none of this makes any difference to clinical efficacy or safety. These temperatures are almost totally arbitrary and have no scientific basis.

You are probably right, however these are to get us within the transport requirements that are imposed on us by regulatory agencies. 

Understood, but the most important thing to realize is that minor variations are of no clinical significance when they occur.  Dealing with unrealistic or irrational or foolishly rigid accreditation or regulation inspectors is a serious but separate issue :).